Midnight Moon
by silenceeverything
Summary: On a warm Friday evening in Rosewood, the last thing Caleb Rivers is thinking of doing is babysitting Grace and Lily DiLaurentis-Fields. But with his 7-and-a-half-month pregnant wife telling him they need the practice, it's time to see if they really can handle the chaos that comes with looking after two toddlers. Post 7x20. Canon. Haleb, Emison.


**Just a little oneshot I've written. Set sometime after 7x20, featuring Hanna, Caleb, Grace and Lily DiLaurentis-Fields.**

 **Hope you enjoy below...**

* * *

 **Midnight Moon**

 _"You with the wide eyes, don't lose your courage, courage_

 _You swing your head high, don't be worried, worried_

 _Your heart's in a free ride, feel it beating, beating"_

* * *

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Caleb Rivers turned to look at his wife as they pulled into the driveway of the DiLaurentis-Fields. It was a beautiful Friday evening and he had hoped to be spending it with his wife alone. It wasn't long until it wasn't going to be just the two of them and he wanted to make the most of it whilst he could. Plus, he had no idea about how to look after one baby, let alone two. Babysitting Grace and Lily was not his idea of fun.

"Because we're having a baby in 10 weeks and we have no idea what we're doing," Hanna smiled at him, reaching for his hand and rubbing her thumb soothingly – she knew how nervous he was about spending the night trying to look after two babies without any help around, "I know you'd prefer to be at home," She said gently, "But I really want us to do this."

He'd do anything for her.

"I'm with you," He whispered, leaning over to give her a tender kiss, "Let's go change some poopy diapers," He pulled back and grinned before climbing out of the Jeep, making his way round to Hanna's side to help her down. He took her hand, lacing their fingers as they made their way towards the front of the house, only to be greeted by an open-door and Emily who had clearly been watching them.

"I thought you might have been backing out," She smiled, pulling Hanna in for as tighter hug as possible.

"We thought about it," Caleb teased her, embracing her too, "But we seriously need the practice."

"And we seriously need a date night," Alison suddenly appeared, Lily DiLaurentis-Fields in her arms. "Even if it is with your Mom. Here," She handed her straight to Hanna. "They've been looking forward to seeing you all day."

"Come here," Hanna cooed, pressing a kiss against the one-year-old's forehead as she squealed at her. "Are you excited to spend the evening with Aunty Hanna and Uncle Caleb?" She asked, both of them staring at each other until Lily broke out into a huge smile.

"That's a yes," Emily grinned, reaching out to brush her hand down Lily's hair.

"I thought we were looking after two," Caleb looked around questioningly for Grace.

"Crap," Emily muttered, looking around for her second daughter, "She's just started walking," She called, heading into the kitchen where she knew she could usually find her, "And trying to get into cupboards is her new favourite thing," She yelled, rolling her eyes as she found Grace sat in front of a cabinet, trying to pull it open with all her might.

"So one is mobile and the other isn't?" Caleb confirmed, following Emily and smiling down at the baby, "Hi Grace," He said, waving at her.

"Correct," Emily agreed, "Although we think Lily is pretty close."

"Em," Ali walked in with Hanna right behind her, "We have reservations we need to get to."

"Okay, okay," Emily pouted, "I'm just putting off saying bye to them."

"I promise we'll look after them," Hanna murmured, holding Lily close.

"I know you will," Emily smiled at her best friend – she couldn't wait for her to be a Mom, "You both will."

"Mama," Lily yelled, reaching for Emily who pulled her into her arms and cuddled her tight.

"So they'll probably want to eat when we leave – their meals are in the fridge. Just sit with them and make sure they get some of it in their mouths, not just down their clothes."

"Noted."

"And then you probably have two hours until bedtime. They'll want to play with you – Grace loves her blocks – and then it's just following their normal routine."

"Which is?" Caleb asked dubiously. Did they come with a manual?

"Bathtime, bottle, book and cuddles before being put in their cribs."

"They'll fall asleep by themselves," Alison reassured him, sensing his uncertainty. "And their favourite book's Midnight Moon. We left it out - it's the only one they want at the moment."

Caleb shot Hanna a nervous look, but she reached out to take his hand and he instantly settled. This was exactly why she wanted them to look after Grace and Lily for an evening – when their own baby came they weren't going to have a choice about whether to give them a bath or a bottle.

They both watched as Ali and Emily said bye, both of them giving Hanna one final hug before they were out the door leaving them to it. Caleb sighed, looking around at all the baby paraphernalia and the two blonde bundles who were crawling around at their feet. "Where do we start?" He turned to look at Hanna.

"Dinner."

* * *

"Grace," Caleb did his best attempt to grab the baby's attention as she sat in her high chair and looked at anything but him, "Come on," He tried, waving a spoon covered in mush around in front of her, "I know it doesn't look yummy but it," He paused to taste the food, "Wow, that's disgusting," He choked out.

"Caleb," Hanna grinned at him, fighting a laugh. "You're supposed to be making her want to eat it, not the opposite."

"Have you tasted this stuff?" He asked her, watching as she seamlessly fed Lily.

She shook her head, "I prefer my food whole," She muttered, "But Lily loves it, don't you?" She cooed, smiling as Lily shot her a toothy grin.

"An-a!" She squealed, reaching forward.

"That's right, I am Aunty Hanna," Hanna agreed, checking the bowl to see how much was left. "Are you finished?"

"Babe," Caleb tried imploringly, "Can you finish Grace?" He asked, standing up not waiting to hear her answer, "I'll clean Lily up," He headed towards the sink without giving her a chance to respond.

"Uncle Caleb's worried he's not doing it right," She whispered to the girls who'd stared after him. "But he's done a pretty good job so far," She murmured, seeing that over half of Grace's dinner had been consumed. "Gracie," She cooed, "One more mouthful?"

Grace screwed her face up in disgust and turned her head to the side as Hanna hovered the spoon near her mouth. "I thought it was just me," Caleb remarked sarcastically, wiping Lily's face with a cloth as he watched Hanna try again with Grace.

"I guess not," Hanna sighed, stealing the cloth from him for Grace. "We're done, huh?" She asked her, smiling as Grace banged her hands on her little table loudly. Hanna loved it when their little personalities shone through - Grace was definitely the loud, out-going, has-to-do-things-first twin, whilst Lily was more content to snuggle in your arms and play quietly whilst she took everything in.

"Lil and I are gonna go play," Caleb muttered, bouncing the baby on his hip who was staring up at him in pure adoration.

Hanna watched him walk off, her heart filling with a burst of love as he leant down and cupped the back of Lily's head. She felt their own baby kick, as if to remind her that it was really all about them, "I know, he's your Daddy," She whispered, rubbing her bump tenderly.

"Ow!" Grace yelled, pulling Hanna from her thoughts as she pushed against the straps of her high chair.

"Okay," She sighed, reaching forward to quickly wipe her mouth before she unstrapped her and let her down. "Where do you wanna go?" She asked, tilting her head as she followed the toddler in the direction she was headed. "To your toys?"

"Ock!" Grace squealed and pointed as she spied Caleb and Lily playing near her favourite blocks.

"You okay?" Caleb looked up as he heard them approaching, noticing Hanna's hand on her bump and a slight grimace on her face.

"Yeah," She sighed, smiling at him slightly as he stood up and left Lily and Grace to it, "I'm just getting my ribs kicked."

He reached a hand on and tenderly stroked the top of her bump.

"I think they don't want us to forget them."

"Impossible," He murmured sweetly, leaning down to press a kiss against her belly. "Hey baby," He whispered against her top, "Your Mama can only deal with two babies tonight, not three."

Hanna ran her hand through his hair, stroking his cheek before he stood and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. She knew he was nervous, but he was already being the best Daddy to their unborn baby. She could see it in his eyes, on his face, in his heart that every time he looked at her, a little bit of that love was being sent straight to their tiny bundle.

"Where's Grace?" She suddenly asked, looking down at the floor and only seeing one DiLaurentis-Fields, not two.

"Shit," Caleb spun around to be greeted by the same site.

"It!" Lily yelled, trying her hardest to repeat exactly what Caleb had just said.

"Crap."

"Ap!"

"Lily," He said exasperatedly, "Now is not the time for a lesson in words you're not supposed to say," He leant down and swooped her up. "How have we lost a baby?"

"She can't have gone far," Hanna said reassuringly, "Em said she loves the kitchen cupboards."

"Lily, how do you feel about being an only child?" Caleb asked, his face dropping as she started to cry in his arms, "Clearly not okay," He cringed, doing his best to comfort her as she let crocodile tears run down her cheeks.

"She's there," Hanna held a hand to her chest as she spotted Grace trying to pull a kitchen cupboard open. "You're gonna send me into early labour," She breathed, "Let's go play with your blocks," She did her best to entice her. It worked and Grace reached for her outstretched hand, following her back into the living room where her toys were.

"You can't take your eyes off them for a second," Caleb sighed, placing a now happy Lily down on the floor before sitting down next to them. "They don't tell you it's this tiring in the classes."

Hanna smiled at him, sitting herself down on the sofa so that she could watch them. She knew that if she managed to get down onto the floor in one piece, she'd have no hope of getting back up. "That's because they're just about getting the baby out of my vagina, not what to do with it after," She said, rubbing her belly as the baby continued to kick.

"Ock!" Grace yelled, handing a block to Caleb.

"Me," Lily called too, vying for his attention as she held onto a cuddly toy.

"Ock!" Grace cried, her eyes watering as Caleb failed to play with her.

"Okay, okay," He said calmly, stroking her back as he laid down on his side and began to stack her blocks with her. Lily climbed on top of him and he ended up with one arm around her, doing his best to give them both attention. He turned his head to glance at Hanna, rolling his eyes as she fought a laugh, "Is it bedtime yet?"

* * *

Almost an hour and a half later, Caleb and Hanna found themselves with two tuckered out little girls, freshly bathed and clean, cuddled up in their pyjamas on their lap as Caleb read them Midnight Moon from the book Emily or Alison had left out near their crib. Both of them had gravitated towards Caleb after starting off on Hanna, leaning against his chest as Hanna curled up into his side.

"I know we're supposed to let them go to sleep by themselves," Hanna whispered, watching Lily's eyes droop shut, "But I don't want to move," She glanced up at Caleb, feeling his arm squeeze her tightly.

"I don't know if I can move," He murmured, placing the book down on the side as Grace crashed against him too. "This is the first time we've stopped since we got here."

Hanna sighed tiredly, "Baby's finally stopped too," She yawned, rubbing Grace's back. "I'll take one," She stood and peeled Grace off him, moving to place her straight in her crib. She covered her with her blanket, making sure her favourite cuddly toy was close before she gave her cheek one last stroke and stood to see if Caleb was doing the same.

He was stood in the middle of the room, Lily cradled in his arms as he rocked her back and forth and stared down at her. Hanna smiled to herself, unable to hold her own bump as she took him in. They looked so peaceful, so perfect, she almost didn't want to break the moment. But she also wanted her husband to herself for the first time that evening.

"She ready to go down?" She asked quietly, prompting him to look up.

"I think she's out for the night."

She reached out for him, brushing his arm as he walked past to tuck Lily in. "They love you," She mumured, moving into his arms, "Uncle Caleb is the best."

He smiled down at her, kissing her lips gently, "I think they think Aunty Hanna's even better."

She pushed her mouth tenderly against his again, feeling his hand run around her bump. "Can we go sit down?" She pouted, "My back's killing me from bathtime."

"Want me to rub it?" He asked, letting her lead him by their entangled fingers down to the living room. She sat down on the edge of the sofa, giving him enough room to sit behind her. "Here?" He murmured in her ear as her began to massage the middle of her lower back.

"Yeah," She breathed, closing her eyes as she let the sensations of his thumb and fingers rub over her. "That's really good."

"Hopefully we won't be having to deal with two for a couple of years," He said quietly, focused on his kneading hands.

"Can you wait until I've pushed the first one out before we start thinking about the second?" She teased him, glancing over her shoulder at his face.

"I didn't mean—"

"I know," She stopped his hands, pulling them round her as she leant back against him instead. "I'm just teasing you," She murmured, leaning her head on his shoulder as he sighed deeply. "You have nothing to worry about," She reassured him, rubbing her hands along his arms as he looked down at her. "You were great tonight."

"I know," He swallowed, "Sometimes it just hits me that this is happening."

"You mean us having a baby together?" She said gently, broaching the topic with caution. It stirred up painful memories that she only ever wanted to erase from his brain.

He snorted and laughed a little, "Yeah," He sighed, "This thing right here," He pushed his hands up under her t-shirt, feeling the baby move slightly against her skin.

"You are kind and generous and caring and you have so much love to give out," She told him, "Your past doesn't define your future."

He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent. There was no one else he would want to traverse down this scary road with. He knew she'd be there, holding his hand the entire way as they figured out this thing called parenthood together. "I can't wait to have a baby with you," He told her, cupping her cheek as their eyes met, conveying all the love they felt for each other. She couldn't wait either. "But I am shit scared I'm not gonna know what to do."

Hanna laughed, "Neither do I."

"Okay," He conceded, smiling at her before his face turned serious again, "But you have your Mom too."

"And so do you," She rubbed his arm comfortingly, "She's been my Mom and my Dad for the past 10 years of my life," She told him, "And I like to think I turned out okay."

"Just about," He squeezed her tightly against him, holding her on his chest as he kissed her cheek once, twice, three times before he left his lips close to her ear.

"I know that whatever I say won't make everything that's running through your mind go away," She started, "But I know that when you hold our baby for the first time, all of that will disappear."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know you. And I know how much you want this."

He was about to respond when the lock in the door turned interrupting him, before it was followed by a slam. "Hello," Caleb called out, sitting up a little taller.

"Hi," Emily grinned, breezing in with Alison behind her, "How were they?" She asked, collapsing on the sofa opposite Hanna and Caleb.

"Perfect," Hanna sat up, pulling her legs off the sofa. "Like always."

Alison laughed, "Seriously," She looked at them, "They've refused to go down easily for the past three nights."

"Caleb's a baby whisperer," Hanna turned and smiled at her husband, reaching out to stroke his chest, "They fell asleep straight on him as he read them their book."

"They just liked my voice," He shrugged it off, placing a hand on her back, rubbing soothingly. "How was the Grille?"

"Really nice," Emily smiled, "Although even when we're not with them, we ended up spending the whole evening talking to my Mom about the girls."

"Is that what happens?" Hanna pulled a face, "Because I'm kind of gonna want a real date night with my husband again."

"Your Mom's great, she gets that," Emily reassured her. "But your whole world does kind of change once you bring a baby into the world."

"Or two," Alison looked across at her sweetly.

"I've been told at every appointment it's just one," Hanna rubbed her bump as she thought about the possibility of unexpected twins.

"I can't believe you guys won't find out the sex."

"I'm pretty sure you didn't either," Caleb pointed out as his brow furrowed.

"We've only got 10 weeks to go," Hanna said, looking down at her belly, "They'll be here soon."

"God," Ali sighed, "It's gone so quick. I remember when you told us you were pregnant."

"And now look at me," The blonde said as Caleb weaved his hand round to stroke her side, "I already look ready to pop."

"No you don't," Emily rolled her eyes, "You're only seven and a half months. You look tiny."

"I just want them here now," She pouted, holding her stomach, "Now we've practiced on Gracie and Lil," She yawned tiredly, leaning against Caleb's chest.

"We should get going," He encouraged her up to go and grab her bag, "There is nothing worse than a grouchy pregnant woman called Hanna Rivers."

"You can only get away with saying that because you used my full name," Hanna grinned at him, wrapping her arms around his middle, "And it's true."

He rolled his eyes, kissing her nonetheless, "Let's get you home," He shot Emily and Alison a knowing look. "Thanks for letting us practice on your kids," He moved over to give both of them a hug, "We only lost one of them once."

"Caleb!" Hanna shrieked, "Grace just walked to the kitchen, that's all."

"She does it all the time," Emily waved her worry away, "Don't worry about it," She stepped forward to hug her goodbye, "Keep that baby Rivers cooking in there."

"I will," Hanna squeezed her tightly before reaching for Alison. "Thank you for tonight."

"No thank you," Ali smiled, "It's nice not looking at mush for dinner."

"Seriously," Emily grinned, "It was great to have a night out. Thanks for being the best babysitters."

"We'll see you guys soon," Caleb murmured as Hanna led him to the door, "We might need to come back for another practice session."

"You guys are ready," Emily reassured him, "You've been ready for a long time."

They said their final goodbyes before Caleb helped Hanna up into their Jeep, making his way round to the drivers side to start the car and take his precious cargo home. "Thank you for tonight," Hanna reached across and stopped him once he'd backed out of the drive. "I know you had other ideas of how we might spend our Friday evening but I'm really glad we did that."

"So am I," He leaned over and kissed her, reassuring her with his lips that he felt exactly the same. It was what they'd needed, what he'd needed.

"And they're right you know," She added, stroking his stubble, "We've been ready for a long time," She murmured. "This is everything I've wanted since I was 16," Her thumb ran across his skin, "And you made it happen."

"So did you," He nudged his nose against hers, stealing one more kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too," She smiled, connecting their mouths one final time before she sat back in her seat and watched him drive them home, her hand finding his on the console. She sighed, feeling the familiar stirrings between her legs that she'd forced to the back of her mind for the entire evening. Seeing Caleb with the girls had made her want to have him there and then, but she'd kept her cool as usual.

"Okay?" Caleb asked her, squeezing her fingers as he sensed her mind running.

"I'm just horny."

"Oh," He tried not to laugh as he pulled into the garage of their apartment building. "Well I guess we better go and sort that out."

"Uh huh."

He looked across at her, his voice dropping as he soaked her in. Now he only had one thing on his mind and it had everything to do with her. "Time to have a proper Friday night then."

"Mm," She smiled at him, falling into him as he came round to open her door again.

"Just you, me and a different kind of midnight moon."

* * *

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